She told reporters that Cameron Todd Willingham set the fire that killed the girls "and watched while . The forensic analysis is what determined that a crime had been committed in the first place. Cameron Todd Willingham's Ex-Wife Stacy Kuykendall Says - HuffPost A disputed arson finding made by a pair of fire investigators following the 1991 deaths of Willingham's daughters is at the heart of the case. Witness To 300 Executions Describes 'Worst' Last Words She - LADbible [2] The Corsicana Fire Department disputes the findings, stating that the report overlooked several key points in the record. The date is December 23, 1991, and 23-year-old Cameron Todd Willingham has fallen asleep while caring for his three young daughters, two-year-old Amber Louise Kuykendall and one-year-old twins . "I spent years not knowing, but Todd gave me that. as Tracy Kuykendall (l.) comforts his sister Stacy Kuykendall, the ex-wife of Cameron Todd Willingham. SYNOPSIS. Cameron Todd Willingham, shown with his then-wife, Stacy Kuykendall, and their daughters, was executed in 2004. Willingham was executed in 2004. "[17], An August 2009 Chicago Tribune investigative article concluded, "Over the past five years, the Willingham case has been reviewed by nine of the nation's top fire scientists first for the Tribune, then for the Innocence Project, and now for the commission. Yesterday, Willingham's former wife, Stacy Kuykendall, released a statement to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram saying that he secretly confessed to killing their three daughters, who . Willingham'sex-wifetearfully reiterated her contention Wednesday that he confessed his guilt to her. Testimony from fire investigators was the primary evidence against Willingham. [1], Psychiatrist James Grigson, known by the moniker "Dr. Death" for his repeated testimony as an expert witness in which he recommended the death penalty, said that a man of Willingham's criminal history was an "extremely severe sociopath" and was incurable. The case of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed in Texas in 2004 and whom I wrote about for The New Yorker last month, has taken another strange twist . [31], In October 2009, the city of Corsicana released two affidavits that included statements from Ronnie Kuykendall, the former brother-in-law of Willingham, originally made in 2004. TV-14. Myths and Facts about the Willingham Case - Innocence Project "[12] According to Brandice, he refused, and moved his car away from the fire before returning to sit on a nearby lawn, "not once attempting to go inside to rescue his children." Jimmie Hensley, a police detective, and Douglas Fogg, the assistant fire chief who both investigated the fire told Grann that they had never believed that the refrigerator was part of the arson plot. He spoke about the contradictions between Kuykendalls public statements and her brothers affidavit. What If He Were Innocent - Evil Lives Here (Season 9, Episode 1 And they chose poorly, because Willingham is a guilty monster.". [32][33], Journalists familiar with the case noted that Stacy Kuykendall's statement explicitly contradicted previous comments, legal testimony, and numerous published interviews before and after the execution. According to a tape recording of the conversation, Kuykendall made it clear that she still believed that Willingham was innocent and that he had no motive to hurt their children. It seems unlikely that, moments after asking for this favor, he suddenly confessed to the murder of her children. Willingham's Stepmother Responds. Pic credit: Texas Dept. A psychologist was asked to interpret Willingham's Iron Maiden poster. A WOMAN who has seen nearly 300 prisoners die at Huntsville State Prison in Texas said she still remembers the final words of Cameron Willingham, who killed his three daughters. In his letter, Willingham insisted that he was innocent: I hope that after I am gone that some day, some how the truth will be known and my name cleared.. How Did Cameron Todd Willingham Die? I said that I was going to divorce you. Join Facebook to connect with Stacy Kuykendall Willinghamgirlslivesmattered and others you may know. [16] Against the advice of his own counsel, Willingham declined a life sentence in exchange for his guilty plea. Descubre qu pasa hoy con Stacy Kuykendall, ex esposa de Cameron Willingham! At the time of the trial, she said she had believed in her husbands innocence, but over the years, after studying the evidence and the trial testimony, she became convinced he was guilty. Cameron Todd Willingham (January 9, 1968 - February 17, 2004) was an American man who was convicted and executed for the murder of his three young children by arson at the family home in Corsicana, Texas, on December 23, 1991.Since Willingham's 2004 execution, significant controversy has arisen over the legitimacy of the guilty verdict and the interpretation of the evidence that was used to . Your email address will not be published. Press "Enter" or click on the arrow to show results. Its hard for me to make heads or tails of anything she said or didnt say., Your email address will not be published. The arson finding that led to his 1992 conviction has been disputed by numerous fire experts. Although Kuykendall, who was eventually convinced of her ex-husbands guilt, turned down many of his last requests, she was there for his execution by lethal injection. In 2009, an investigative report by Grann[1] drew upon analysis by arson investigation experts and advances in fire science since the 1992 investigation; he suggested that the evidence for arson was unconvincing. Photo: Flashlight Films/Kobal/Shutterstock. In August 2009, eighteen years after the fire and five years after Willingham's execution, a report conducted by Dr. Craig Beyler, hired by the Texas Forensic Science Commission to review the case, found that "a finding of arson could not be sustained." In Loving Memory of 3 Murdered Children (Murdered by Cameron Todd Evil Lives Here: What If He Was Innocent? episode 1. season 9. TvProfil What are now being described as Willinghams inconsistencies dont come from Willingham at all they are recollections from hearsay witnesses, virtually none of whom testified at trial or were cross-examined. "I think about my girls every day and I miss them," she said. The Supposed Willingham Confession - The Texas Observer Willingham himself escaped the home with only minor burns. Stacy Kuykendall is known for Evil Lives Here (2016). In recreations with rooms involved in intense fires, experts can safely stand by a door seconds before flashover, and Willingham could have stood close to the childrens room without being harmed. He insisted he would not admit to something he had not done, even if it meant sparing his life. At the time, Todd said hed been napping but had just managed to escape the flames before he was severely injured. Stacy Kuykendall Now: Where is Cameron Todd Willingham's Ex-Wife Today . Attorneys for Willingham's family are seeking his exoneration. In the fall of 2004, just months after Willinghams execution, the ChicagoTribune reporters Steve Mills and Maurice Possley visited Kuykendall at her house and asked her if Willingham had, in fact, confessed to her. Cameron Todd Willingham: Wrongfully Convicted and Executed in Texas - Innocence Project. stacy willingham married. The commission was never asked to determine whether Willingham was innocent, and was never going to reach a conclusion on his innocence. January 9, 1968 - February 16, 2004 . Willingham's ex-wife tearfully reiterated her contention Wednesday that he confessed his guilt to her. He said he was prescribed many medications at that point while being treated for bipolar disorder. Within 5 miles of your location. If Stacy will advise, I will be happy to make correction. The sole exception was when she spoke out about his ultimate fate in a 2012 interview with The Huffington Post, eight years after his execution, while his family members sought Willinghams pardon. What If He Was Innocent? [14] On returning to the scene of the fire with firefighter Ron Franks, in an effort to recover personal property (which was described as a very usual request at trial), Willingham was visibly dismayed at being unable to find a dart set. Prosecutors charged that Willingham set the fire and killed the children in an attempt to cover up the abuse of the children and wife. She said, If I said it, then its true., In the course of reporting my story, I also spoke to John Jackson, who prosecuted Willingham. Cameron Todd Willingham was executed for the murder of his three children. Stacey Kuykendall divorced her husband not long after the deaths of her children, and she professed that Willingham had been abusive towards her, but not the children. But a few days before that meeting, Perry removed three members of the commission and appointed Bradley, a conservative ally, as its chairman. It was the centerpiece of the case, as it is in other arson cases. In fact, on the same day that her brother claimed she had told him Willingham confessed in that meeting, a local media outlet ran an interview with Stacy Kuykendall where she said Willingham maintained his innocence during the meeting (even though she thought he was guilty). Willingham's Stepmother Responds | The New Yorker That was until she spoke to him shortly before his execution. Kuykendall has acknowledged that Willingham had asked to see her to help him in his bid for clemency. "[12], The prosecution claimed that Willingham may have been motivated by a desire to rid himself of unwanted children. His report was sent to authorities asking to postpone the execution. [1], Eyewitnesses described Willingham as having "singed hair on his chest, eyelids, and head and had a two-inch burn injury on his right shoulder, but the prosecution highlighted the absence of any evidence of smoke inhalation. [3] Both were sharply critical of Beyler. Scientific experts have conducted experiments with identical fires and Willinghams burns are normal for this type of fire. Last Sunday, in a statement to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Cameron Todd Willingham's former wife, Stacy Kuykendall . They urged him to go inside and rescue his children, but he refused. We are evil when it comes to justice. Hes just not. She also said the prosecution was motivated to find anyone to blame. Stacy Kuykendall read a prepared statement to reporters outside the Travis County courthouse. After the fire, police and fire investigators interrogated Kuykendall. Baird has twice sat on courts considering Willingham's appeal and once won an award from the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. It also found insufficient evidence to prove that state Deputy Fire Marshal Manuel Vasquez and Corsicana Assistant Fire Chief Douglas Fogg were negligent or guilty of misconduct in their arson work. Me and Stacys been together for four years, but off and on we get into a fight and split up for a while and I think those babies is what brought us so close together, Willingham had said, per The New Yorker. 5 Things To Know About The Cameron Todd Willingham Case | Crime History When Willingham was arrested, he vigorously professed his innocence. Jackson said Willingham had abused animals and was a sociopath. Webb later recanted his recantation. Court Halts Hearing In Willingham Arson Case - CBS Texas Rick Perry, others don't align with facts", "Convict in disputed execution was guilty, ex-wife says", "Third Court Rules in Willingham Case: Matter must be referred to Judge Stubblefield", "Bar Files Disciplinary Case Against Ex-Prosecutor", "Prosecutor accused of misconduct in disputed Texas execution case", https://www.corsicanadailysun.com/news/update-jury-rules-in-jacksons-favor-in-civil-judicial-misconduct-trial/article_cdcf8856-35e7-11e7-81dd-2ba5db18fbeb.html, "Jack O'Connell, Laura Dern Star For Ed Zwick In 'Trial By Fire', "Tune in Tonight: Scheck on "The Good Wife", Faulty Testimony Sent 2 to Death Row, Panel Finds, "Texas Execution Information: Cameron Willingham", City of Corsicana Response to Beyler Report, 29 September 2009, "Media Advisory: Cameron Todd Willingham Scheduled For Execution", Analysis of the Fire Investigation Methods and Procedures Used in the Criminal Arson Case Against Ernest Ray Willis and Cameran Todd Willingham Craig L. Beyler, Willingham Files A collection of all stories published by the Corsicana Daily Sun, Media Advisory: Cameron Todd Willingham Scheduled For Execution, PBS portal on the Cameron Todd Willingham case including original documents, a shorter summary of the Cameron Todd Willingham case a slide show presentation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cameron_Todd_Willingham&oldid=1137586879, 21st-century executions of American people, People executed by Texas by lethal injection, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox criminal with known for parameter, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 12:27. According to an August 2009 investigative report by an expert hired by the Texas Forensic Science Commission, the original claims of arson were doubtful. Prueba de fuego est disponible en Netflix! His wife Stacey was out Christmas shopping at the time. Rick Perry defends 2004 execution despite questions about evidence, calls convict 'a monster', "Perry's denial of stay could become campaign issue", "CNN's Anderson Cooper to Air Report on Cameron Willingham Tonight", "Is Texas Governor Rick Perry Trying to Cover Up Execution of Innocent Man on His Watch", "Stacy Kuykendall's statement about the 1991 fire", "Death penalty case: Ex-wife says convicted killer confessed", "Texas execution: Statements by Gov. Days before Willingham's execution, fire scientist Gerald Hurst concluded there was no foul play and the fire was caused by a space heater, however the governor declined Willinghams reprieve. Rick Perry in what many viewed as a political move to bury new evidence that cast doubt on Willingham's guilt. Mills told me, We accurately reported our encounter with her in 2004.. On December 23, 1991, a fire enveloped the home of Todd and Stacey in Corsicana, Texas. All rights reserved, Man Shot by Fort Worth Officer After Reaching for Gun in Waistband: Police, Fort Worth Music Festival Happening at Fort Worth Stockyards, Novak Djokovic Denied' US Entry Ahead Of Indian Wells, Joe Biden Asked To Intervene, Barbara Corcoran Says Meeting Mark Cuban Was Her Most Embarrassing Moment' on Shark Tank' Here's Why, 3 Children Killed, 2 Wounded in Ellis County Home; 1 in Custody: Sheriff. In the following days, Willingham returned to the house with some family and friends. Please avoid sharing any personal information in the comments below and join us in making this a hate-speech free and safe space for everyone. Willinghams statements about the fire were inconsistent. Questions persist surrounding Cameron Todd Willingham's conviction and death sentence, but according to Stacy Kuykendall, who knew him better than anyone, Cameron is a monster who was guilty as charged and deserved to die. They dont care if the person is indeed telling the truth. Our justice system has become who can twist a believable story, not the truth. While I was reporting myNew Yorker article, I tried to talk to Stacy Kuykendall, but she said that she no longer wanted to discuss the case. Willingham's three children -- 2-year-old Amber Kuykendall and 1-year-old twins Karmon and Kameron Willingham, died of smoke inhalation. But the investigators' conclusions have been strongly challenged by several fire experts. Neighbors described this group as having an odd levity, which was seen to turn somber on the arrival of authorities. (For example, she now claims the couple fought the night before the fire, but she clearly said the opposite in various official statements over the years.). He burnt them. Cameron Todd Willingham, 36, was executed by lethal injection on 17 February 2004 in Huntsville, Texas for the murder of his three children. 1. His former probation officer, Polly Goodin, said he had never demonstrated bizarre or sociopathic behavior and that "He was probably one of my favorite kids. Help us advocate for the innocent by sharing the latest news from the Innocence Project. [23], In 2004, Gerald Hurst examined the arson evidence compiled by state deputy fire marshal Manuel Vasquez. Cameron Todd Willingham "Rising from the Ashes" # - YouTube Woman who witnessed 300 executions haunted by child killer's death Murder of his three young children by Cameron Todd Willingham examined Laura Dern Was 'Afraid' to Film in a Maximum-Security Prison - Yahoo! Willingham had escaped the fire with bare feet and no burn marks. [35] For example, earlier in 2009, Kuykendall supported her 2004 contradiction of her brother's affidavit (saying that there had been no confession) and had previously always maintained that things had been amicable between her and Willingham before the fire. The film, based on the 2009 New Yorker article also title Trial By Fire, chronicles events around late Texas native Cameron Todd Willingham. There were far too many legal errors and turning a blind eye to the truth. Myth: "[16] There were two refrigerators in the Willingham house. He told me he was sorry and that he hoped that I could forgive him one day. Perry on Willingham: He was a 'bad man' - News - The Austin Chronicle It didnt take this long. Corsicana Daily Sun Where Is Stacey Willingham From Trial By Fire In 2019? - Refinery29 Self - Cameron Todd Willingham's Ex-Wife Getting Started . [6], The prosecutor also said that Willingham was a serial wife abuser, both physically and emotionally. The Big Little Lies actress, 52, plays Elizabeth Gilbert in Trial by Fire, the real-life ordinary citizen who took on the case of Cameron Todd Willingham as he sat on death row. Did Todd Willingham confess or did Stacy Kuykendall lie? - Blogger [34] "It's hard for me to make heads or tails of anything she said or didn't say," Willingham's prosecutor said. She provided a statement to the Fort Worth . Willingham's Ex-Wife: "He Watched While Their Tiny Bodies Burned" I miss them so much., While Kuykendall was in Willinghams corner and also persistent about his innocence for years, she changed her stance shortly before his execution.I read that Todds stepmom and cousin are asking the governor for a pardon. : Directed by Phoebe Kwong, Joel Pincosy. Documentary Feb 14, 2021 42 min. When the recusal motion was denied, Thompson appealed to the Third Court of Appeals and had the proceedings stayed. Stacy Kuykendall, Self: Evil Lives Here. Write by: . . A judge has postponed a hearing in Austin until next week in the case of a Texas man executed for setting fire to his home and killing his three daughters. Cameron Todd Willingham #899 - clarkprosecutor.org https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.investigationdiscovery.com%2Ftv-shows%2Fevil-lives-here%2Ffull-episodes%2Fwhat-if-he-was-innocent%3Ffbclid%3. [42] According to the complaint, "During a pretrial hearing on July 24, 1992, [Jackson] told the trial court that he had no evidence favorable to Willingham. What Stacy Kuykendall Said - The StandDown Texas Project About Willinghams ex-wife, Stacy Kuykendall, even John Jackson (who prosecuted Willingham and steadfastly believes he was guilty) says: Shes given very different stories about what happened on this particular day right up to the date of his executionIts hard for me to make heads or tails of anything she said or didnt say.. A jury in Corsicana, south of Dallas, convicted Willingham of capital murder in 1992. [5] However, there was no evidence of child abuse. "[28], Since Willingham's execution, persistent questions have been raised as to the accuracy of the forensic evidence used in the conviction: specifically, whether it can be proven that an accelerant (such as the lighter fluid mentioned above) was used to start the fatal fire. 2023 Innocence Project. Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from the Innocence Project: Cameron Todd Willinghams case raises strong opinions on many different levels, but some who defend his conviction and execution are distorting aspects of the case, and some of those distortions are being repeated or reported as fact. By John Schwartz. Willingham was accused of arson . Myth: Each time, she said that she and Todd had not fought the night before the blaze, and that they had gone to Kmart to pick up photographs of the family to get ready for their Christmas celebration. With Bob Gallagher, Amber Louise Kuykendall, Stacy Kuykendall, Kameron Marie Willingham. Website by MADEO. [44], Incendiary: The Willingham Case, a 2011 documentary film covering the case and its aftermath, won the Louis Black Award at the South by Southwest Film Festival. The front porch was the only place where an accelerant was verified by laboratory tests, and a photograph taken of the house before the fire showed that a charcoal grill was there. Fire expert criticizes investigation that led to execution a husband returns home to find his wife dead on the living room floor; he tells first responders she committed suicide . But tragically, their three young children were killed in the blaze. A later study into the causes of the fire stated that it might not have been arson. As he recalled it, their conversation with Kuykendall centered directly on the question of Willinghams alleged confession. There was no item of evidence that indicated arson." It was a heartbreaking, heartless death sentence. Stacy Kuykendall, Willingham's then-wife and the mother of his three daughters, was not home at the time of the fire, as she was out shopping. [3] A 2011 documentary, Incendiary: The Willingham Case, also explored the case. In February 2014, The New York Times reported that the Innocence Project investigators said that they had discovered a handwritten note in Webb's files indicating that such a deal was in play.